World Health Summit: Antimicrobial resistance as a global challenge

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat and growing problem. A recent global review found that AMR caused an estimated 4.5 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR in 2019, making it a leading cause of death worldwide. Understanding the burden of AMR and improving infection prevention and control programs, access to essential antibiotics, stewardship and research and development of new vaccines and antibiotics are crucial to combating AMR. This will, however, require focused and innovative actions especially by National Public Health Institutes (NPHI) to address serious global gaps such as those with microbiology laboratory capacity, data collection infrastructure and health systems worldwide.

The session discusses the following questions:

1. What are the priority short-term actions of NPHI that need to be addressed for improving global AMR surveillance and infection prevention and control (IPC)?

2. What should be the long-term visions for improving global AMR surveillance and IPC?

3. How can initiatives for achieving universal health coverage/improved equity and addressing AMR be integrated? How can key elements from each strategy be taken into account?